You are here

Jessie Daniel Ames looks back, circa 1928

Almost a decade after winning the vote, Jessie Daniel Ames wrote this assessment of the contributions of women to the political scene in Texas. In later years, Ames was somewhat bitter about the outcome of the crusade. In a 1965 interview, Ames, then 82, told a reporter: "We were idealists. We thought that when we got the vote the whole pattern of politics would be greatly improved and would be dominated by women. This hasn't happened, though in an emergency the women will work."

In many ways, the winning of the vote was only the beginning of a women's rights movement that continues to the present day. Sex discrimination in hiring and pay, loss of employment due to pregnancy or the need to care for a family member, sexual harassment, access to abortion, and domestic violence are just a few of the controversial issues targeted by women's rights activists in the 21st century.